Mechanical stoker.



PATENTED MAR. l2, 1907.

N. E. GBE.

MECHANICAL STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1906.

nu@ u tot 7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 847,174. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907. N. E. GBE.

MECHANICAL STOKER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1906.

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PATENTED MAR. l2, 1907. N. E. GBE. l

MECHANICAL STOKER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 7, 190s.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.,

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENTE-D MAR. 12, 1907.

N..E. GBE. MECHANICAL STOKER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 7, 190s.

| I I I l PATENTED MAR. l2, 1907.

N. E. GBE. MECHANICAL STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1906.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

l1/wanton Witnesses No. 847,174. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

N. E. GBE.

MECHANICAL STOKER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 190s.

7 SHEETS-SHEET .6.

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A Norma/7. Fl G0@ 1 @witwassen F/CKMQWMM Z/wm ttouww No, 847,174.PATENTBD MAR. 12, 19o?.

N..B.YGBE.

MBGHANIGAL STO'KER. APPLICATION FILED MAY` 7, 1906.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.I

MECHANICAL STOKER.

LNo. 847,174.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12,*-1 907.

Application filed May 7, 1906. Serial No. 315,542.

'o aZZ wir/.0m t may concern:

Be it known that I,'.NORMAN E. GEE,'a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful v Improvements in MechanicalStokers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanical stokers of the type primarilydesigned for stoking or firing locomotive-furnaces. i

To this end the invention contemplates a mechanical locomotive-Stokerhaving an automatic action and at the same time embodying a selectiveprinciple which provides means whereby the fuel-feeding position on orover the grate may be selected at the will of the fireman, so that thefuel may be depos-A ited or delivered at the point where needed. Also inthis connection the invention has in view improved means whereby theoperations of all the various mechanisms of the Stoker are under thecontrol of the fireman from a single controlling device or valve, whichdevice enables the iireman to not -only select the fuel-feeding positionon the grate,\ but also to blank or omit feeding any portion of thegrate-surface which does not require replenishing of fuel. In carryingout the last-named object the invention is intended to meet thatcondition where the fire will cut through in spots oii'the grate largelyon ac. count of the 'effect Vof the exhaust. Itis well known that whenengines are Working on heavy grades and pulling heavy trains the exhaustand draft will cut through the iire so badly as to-bare the grates offuel at the `-points in the fire-box where the fuel is most needed. Thiscondition is not corrected' by any type of locomotive-Stoker known tothis applicant and cannot be met by some types of stokers alreadypatented-such, for 1ny stance, as those employing 'astoking-enginedriving a stoking-head and which have a variable or accelerating stroke.A stroke ofthischaracter has been found bypractlcal demonstration to beentirely inadequate to meet those conditions above pointed out and,furthermore, Will not provide for reliably spreading the .fuel over thegrate-surface even in a straight direction from the front to the backWall of the fire-box.-

A further object of the invention is to'provide a novel relation ofmechanisms whereby the fuel-will be taken from the tender coalv s upplyand deposited in front of the stoknghead ofthe stoker in a fixed ratioto the amount that is forced into the fire-box; also, to provide meansby which the stokinghead of what vmay be termed the stokingengine isoperated in a fixed ratio to the number of strokes of thedriving-engine, thus controlling the number of strokes of thestokingehead by opening or closing the throttle of thedriving-engine,'the same operation also controllingthe amount of fueldelivered from the coal-supply in the tender.

Another obj ect of the invention is to equip the stoking-engine with animproved type of rotary'valve, comprising means for admitting andexhausting steam to and from both sides of the stoking-engine piston andbearing a complemental relation to a single controllingvalve, whichcomprises means for controlling all of the strokes of the,stokingengine, so that the latter may be made inoperative or operative'for any of the main positions of the l 'a means for utilizing the' slackcoal, as Well as the lumps, also to reduce to a minimum the amount ofcold air that enters the {ire-box above the grate, and thereby rotectthe fluesheets from cracking, and, urthermore, to promote. completecombustion through the synchronous action of the controlling-valve andthe deflector-plate, all of which provide ymeanswhereby an even and highpressure can be carried upon locomotive-boilers, 4thus reducing thestrains that arise in boilers from .changes in temperature.

With these and many other obj ects in r oov view, which will be readilyapparent to steanr and railroad engineers, the invention. con

4sists in the novel construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out theobjects above indicated are necessarily susceptible to a wide range ofstructural modifications without departing from the scope of theinvention; but

a practical embodiment thereof is shownin ating-valve, showing p theaccompanying drawings, 'in which- Figure 1 1s a side view, artlylinsection, showing the complete stoking apparatus applied to'alocomotive-furnace an its tender.

ig. 2 is an end view of the same construetion. Fig. 3 is a sectionaldiagrammatic view of the stoking-engine, the operating-l a thirdposition for the operating-valve. Fig.

valve.

controlling-valve disk. Fig. l 13 is an env engine.

8 is a top plan view, partly in' section, ofthe operating-valve toillustrate the course of live steam for supplying the steam-spacesbetween the operating-valve and its balancedisk. Fig. 9 is averticaltransverse sectional view ofthe operating-valve on the line 9 9Aof Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a Jrront elevation of the controlling-valve. Fig.11. is a s idfe view, partly in section, of the said controlling- Fig.12 is a detail elevation of the larged detail sectional view showing themounting of the deilector-plate, the line of section being indicated bythe line 13 13 of. Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a detail elevation of the mainportion of the deector-operating mechanism. Fig. 1 5 is a detail viewshowing certain of the operating connections with the driving- Fig. 16is a detail sectional view ron the line 16 16 of Fig. 14. Fig. -17 is atop plan view, partly in section, of the receiving end portion of thefuel-'conveyen Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the same part ofthe fuel-conveyor. Fig. 19 is a top end view ot the fuel-conv eyer.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figuresofthe drawings.

In carrying out the present'invention the same embodies in its'genera'lor anization a series of related and synchronous y-opera'ting mechanismsdesigned to be arranged in 01perativev relation to the coal-supply in te tender and to thefire-door or fire-door opening of thelocomotive-furnace. These mechanisms are, in the main, as'toking-'engine comprisin f means for forcibly pushing asupply of fuethrough the fire-door opening of"l a fuel-supply mechanthelocomotive-boiler, ism comprising a coal-handling system for lautomatically receiving the fuel from the tender and delivering the sameltothe fuelchute of the stoking-engine, 'an o eratin'gvalve for thestokingengine, a'de ector device operatively connected with theoperating-valve, a drivin -engine operatively connected with the fue-supply mechanism, 'with v7 beneath the engine-cylinder@ 'ing 14,

Ithe operating-valve, and -also with theideiiector device, and acontrolling-valve having a complemental. relation to said operat-.

ing-valve. g

The stoking-engine constitutes, the active mechanism for forcibly.ushing or throwing the supply of fuel into t e fire-box, and saidstoking-engme essentially comprises as its principal instrumentalitiesan engine-cylmder C, a fuel-chute 2X, united to and longitudinally.alined with the cylinder, a pistonhead 3 Within the cylinderhastoking-head 4X within the fuel-chute, a common pistonrod 5, connectingthe heads 3X and 4*, and i an operating-valve device, (designated initsentirety byA the abbreviations 0. f V.) This stoking-engine is referablyarranged in an inclined position a ove the decklate 7 of the locomotive,the cab, part of w `ch, including the back end ofthe locomotivefurnace,is designated by the reference L.

The support of the engine in that position may be effected by anysuitable means, such as a supporting-pedestal 8 on the deck-platetening-lug @preferably4 rigid with the iront end portionio thefuel-'chute 2 and detachably interlocking in a shouldered keeper- 'seat10, -formed in the lower end portion of a casting or frame 1 1, whichmay be termed an and a fas-v vinterchangeable lire-door frame-U Thi-S1;I rire-door frame is a casting having the nec essary bearings and`supports for certain parts more particularly referred't/o; but at thispoint 1t is to be notedV that for purposes of convenience and economythe-said lire-door frame 1].'is interchangeable with the ordinarystandard locomotive ire-doos and Jrrames and is adapted to replace thelatter and be secured 'to the front of the re-b'ox as a hood directlyover the fire-door opening 12 therein. As indicated, the said rire-doorframe is in the form of a hood and is provided l I()l in the lowerportion thereof with a stokingopenin lryv 13, which receives and issubstantially ctlosed by the front discharging end of `the fuel-chute2X, while above the plane of,

said opening 13 the hooded fire-door frame 11 is provided with asecondary access-openclosed by a door 15, preferably equipped with anobservation-wicket 16.

of the deflector device, hereinafter- The combined door and Wicket l5 16permit of the raking of .the rire, if necessary, and

l also the convenient observation thereof.

Reverting to the stoking-engine, which is arranged with itsfuel chute orchamber 2 in line and in communication with the stoking-'opening 13 ofthe {ire-door frame, it will f be observed that the engine-cylinder C isof yconventional form, though lso constructed as to provide forcushioning the stroke of. the

piston-head 3X at each end thereof. At its forward end this cushioningis provided for inthe manner 't'ofbe presently explained. and

the steam-chamber 18in the back head is in communication with astarting-port 19, formed in the cylinder-shell, and in communicationwith the rear supply and exhaust port 20, which opens yinto the cylindernear the back head thereof. In substantially a corresponding position'at a distance from its front end the cylinder'is .provided with a frontsupply and exhaust portA 2'1, cored in the shell of the cylinder andalso having branched therefrom yastarting-port 22' in communication withthe cylinder at theextreme front end asiplainly shown in, l 'ig.- 3 ofthe thereof, drawings. l

The rear supply and, exhaust port 2() for the stoking-engine cylinderlhas connected therewith a steam supply and exhaust pipe 23,

l which-receives and exhausts ksteam-'for the back-- fend of thecylinder C in connection with a main supply and exhaust passage 24,suitably formed 1n the valve-base 25a of operating-valve -device O V,previously referred to. The said main supply and exhaust passage 24opens through the valve-seat 25 of the operating-valve device O Vthrough a plurality of branch ports, which for convenience in describingthe 'operation of the valve may be designated, respectively, as branchports a, b, and c. These portsopen through the valve-seat 25 andcooperate with the several ports in the operating-valve disk 26, to bepresently referred to. In. addition to the main supply and exhaustpassage 24 and the branch ports in communication therewith the valvebase and seat are pierced by a plurality o f supply-ports 1, 2, and 3respectively, which correspond t o and beara complemental relation tocorresponding ports in the controlling-valve hereinafter described. Inaddition to the port-hole itselfone of said supply-ports--namely, thatdesignated by the numeral 3-has a short extension-p assage 27,-leadingthrough the valve-base to the pipe-opening for the pipe connecting withthe controlling-valve,.and at this point it may be observed that. eachof said supplyports 1, 2, and 3, has associated therewith a separatesteam-supply pipe, said several .pipes being designated, respectively,I, II, 'and III.

In further explanation of the various ports 'of lthe operating-valveseat 25EL it is to be noted that the seat is provided withl acentralmain exhausting-cavity 28, having a passage connetion 29 with a mainexhaust-port 30, vpnarcingthe seat and in communication with the commonexhaust-pipe 31, which leads from the valve-base 2.5a to anexhaust-discharge passage32, preferablyl cored out of,

- the valve-balance chamber 37 the front end portion of the fuel-chute2X at the lower side thereof1 whereby the exhauststeam may be dischargeddirectly into the iirebox,vthus disposing of the same in the mostdesirable way.

In connection w1th the central main vex-l hausting-cavity 28 thevalve-seat is also provided in spaced relation to said cavity with acylinder-exhaust port 33, in communication with an exhaust-passage34,formed in the valve-base and communicating with the front supply andexhaust port 21 for the frontend of the engine-cylinder. This port orpassage 21 is likewise ink communication with a supply-passage 35,extending through the top portion of the valve-base 25aL and serving toconduct live steam to the said port or passage 21 from the space betweenthe valve-disk 26.

and the valve-balance disk 36, arranged at one side of the valve-diskand housed within the valve-balance chamber 37, which likewiseconstitutes a casing or chamber for closing the valve proper, 26. Thespace between the elements 26 and 36 communicates with asteam-circulating channel 38,formed around the outer edge or peripheryofthe valve proper, and the latter in turn is in communication with alive-steam port 4, which receives its supply of steam from asteam-supply pipe IV, connecting with a suitable port of thecontrolling-valve, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

.'Ihe valve proper or valve-disk 26 is free to rotate upon its seat 25aat one side of the valve-base 25, and said valve is provided with ahub-,sleeve 39, fitted on the valve-operatin shaft 40 andreceivingthereon the valve alance disk 36, whose periphery has a steam-tight fitat 36a upon the`inner wall of In order to maintain the proper spacedrelation between the two disks 26 and 36, a pressure-spring 41 isinterposed therebetween, and the balancedisk 3 6 is adjusted againstsaid spring through the medium of an adjusting-nut 42, working on thethreaded shank 43 of the hub-sleeve 39 and bearing against a half-balljoint-ring 44, registering in a correspondingly-shaped joint-seat 45,formed in one side of the balance ring at the central portion thereof.In connection with this part of the invention it will be observed thatthe admission of steam into the space between the valve-disk and thebalance-disk through the circulating-channel 38 providesa means ofbalancing the o erating-valve 26, thereby obviating any iiculty thatmight arise f. from excessive pressure on one side only. Also theconstruction described embraces the novel idea of provision for takingup any unequal wear on the valve or its seat.

"l 'Referring to the action of the valve proper or the valve-disk 26 incontrolling the steam in connection with the various ports in thevalve-seat, it maybe first 'observed that the IOO take of the passage85,' which pierces the valve-- live steam in the live-steam chamber- 46between the valve-disk 263 and the balancedisk 36 is led rom suchchamber to .the-inthe live-steam poi-m47,ltransyerselypiercing` `thevalve-disk 26"and extending yentirely throughthe same. 'The valve properor the valve-disk 26 is furthermore provided in the bodyportion thereofwith acycleof bridgingpassages 48, 49, and 50, respectively,"which arecored out through the valve-body and are. provided attheir oppositeextremities with the surface ports 51, opening through.

`the face 'of the valve-disk. f'lhese bridgingpassages are arranged atsuch angles and in such positions as to coperate, respectively,

lwiththe suppl -ports 1, 2, and 3 and with the main supp and exhaustpassage 24 in the manner to ge presently explained. Also the valve-diskis provided within the central portion thereof with V a plurality ofconcentric exhaust bridging-passages 52, arranged in regularly-spacedrelations and Serving to connect the'cylinder-exhaust port 33' with thecentral exhausting-cavity 28 when the.

line of exhaust is completed for the steam in front of the gine. I

' The valve-shaft 40, carrying the valve vproper or valve-disk 26, isintermittently rotatedthrough the action of a driving-engine 53.vThis'engine is of acommon standard construction and is not specially'claimed herein ;l but it is to be observed that 'the said engine isarranged in a convenient position upon the locomotive and receives'itssupply' o t steam from a 'suitable pi e-connection W1 the locomotivesteam-supply. In connecting this driving-'engine wit the mechanisms ofthe stoking apv aratus'the piston-rod 54 thereof has a roc -armconnection 55 with.

a suitablysupported motion transmitting rock-shaft", 56,5 carrying. abell-crank` 57,- to

" allyconnected, as atc-59, to a swinging ratchetone arm of which ispivotally connected apitman' 58', the vother end of'which is pivot- 'arm60, carrying va'sprin,2;-pressed ratchetdog 61, engaging theratchet-toothed `section 62, formed upon or carried by the operatingj`valve yshaft 40. This line of connections -device or valve mechanism Owith a predetermined number of teeth on the ratchet-section '62provides" forv rotating the.

operating-valve v26 'a prescribed distance at each stroke of thedriving-engine.v The supply of steam to the o erating-Valve l il iscontrolled lthrugh the medium of a single controllingvalve, (designatedin its entirety by the number 63 and-arranged in a convenient positionWithin the cab 'of the locomotive, so as to be convenient reach oftheremaif.) This controlling-valve comprisesin its geii eralorganization a valve-casing 64, provided' therein .vyith aninteriorsteam-chamber 65,

piston-head of the stoking-enat one'side of which chamber yis arran ed avalve-seat 66, which is pierced with ,a p urality of feeding-'ports 1,2,and 3, bearing'a complemental relation to the supply-ports 1, 2, and 3of the operating-valve seat and in communication With the pipe-openings,re-

,s' ectively, for the steam-sup ly pipes ,-I Il lill.' -Also thesaidvalve-casiliigs 64 :is rovided at 'one sideof, the plane of the vavesaid openings--namely, the steam-exhaust lopening 6'8-is incommunication with lthe steam-supply pi e'IV, which supplies steam tothe engine-cy inder C.

The feeding-ports 1*", 2, I and 3a of the i valve-seat 66' for thecontrolling-valve are designed to belcovered and uncovered andto be'selected singly, in pairs, or lingroups through the employment of acontrollingvalve disk 70, mounted lon a controllingvalver stem 7 1,journaled in suitable-bearings provided in and on the valve-casing 64and carrying exterior tothe latter a controllerhandle 7'2 for thefireman. fIhe said valvedisk 7'0- is arranged within the interiorsteamchamber 65 and with the seat 66, in effect, y

constitutes one of th sidesof said chamber.

IOO

The disk 70 is provided therein'with a series y of selecting-ports 73,which are arranged in a larger number-than the feeding-ports 'of thevalve-seat, 66`,and in such order that said feeding-ports can becovered. and uncovered in pairs, or in groups at the-option of singlgl,,th eman, according to the requirements of the 4 fire'. Thisselection ofthe feeding- `ports to bring into play is controlledthrough the mediumof' an indicator-disk 74, carried rio by the controller-,handle 72 andworking on the exterior'of the valve-casing 64 at one side of orover amarked indicating-dial 75. Preferably the indicator-disk 74 is providedwith dumm ports 76, corresponding exactl with t e selecting-ports 73-ofthe valve-dis 70 and marked in correspondence with the 'dial 7.75 sothat the .operatorcan' tell at a glance which feeding-ports are cut inor blanked, and therebyalways know What grate positionsjare beingsupplied/with fuel by the stokinga paratus.

'A distinctive l eature of the` present invention resides in theemployment of a deilector a deilector 7 7 arranged device, includin foroperation wit in the lire-door opening 12 in line with the discharge ofuel roinithe fuel-chute'2x. The deflector 77 has a 'cornp ,ing movementon la horizontal axis to defleet thefuelto the front, middle, and backof thevfire-box and also a lateral rocking movement onl itslongitudinalaxis whereby the fuelis` deflected to the ends, sides, and corners ofthev fire-box. The `said deflector ordeflector-plate 77 may becharacterized as being ofpa partial spoon fornnand the main vertical,movements thereof are kept in synchronism withv the 'intermittentmovements of the operating-valve disk`26 and with the strokes of thestoking-engine-'that is, foreach forward stroke of the stokingengine andits'stoking-head the deilector has one main position, `so that withthree constant strokes of the stoking-head of equal strength or forceandV each of said strokes being a fuel-feeding stroke the deflect-orwill intermittently. assumer its three main positions for respectivelyfeeding and distributing the fuel respectively to the front, middle, andback of the fire-box. these main movements the deilector is constantlyrocking sidewise, or on its longitudinal aXis,'so that the fuel isdeflected to the sides and corners of the fire-box.

The above variousmovements of the deilector are accomplished throughadeflectoroperating mechanism, which includes a car-- rier-rod 78,provided'witl1 a head member 79, detachably interlocked with abifurcated locking-hook 8,0, formed at the outer end of thedetlector-body and providing means for rigidly connecting the latterwith the carrierrod 78. The said rod extends rearward from itsconnection with the deflector and has fitted to the rear end thereof anarcuate niotion-link 81, provided therein with a llongitudinal-disposedslot 82, slidably receiving the headed comiecting-pin 83 of areciprocating operating-rod 84. This rod is supported to reciprocatehorizontally and is provided contiguous to one end thereof with aslotted cross-head 85, receiving t-he wristin 86 of a crank-arm 87,carried atone end o a ratchetbolt 88, provided thereon 'with aratchettoothed portion 89, engaged bythe springpressed dog 90 of aswinging ratchet-arm 91, mounted to oscillate upon the .bolt 88. Thesaid ratchet-arm 91 hasa gimbal-joint connection 92 with one end, of anoperatingpitman 93, the other end of which pitman connects with one armof the bell-crank 57, carried by the motion-transmitting rockvshaft 56.

The reciprocation of the rod 84 swings/the link y81 and rocks thedeilector sidewise', while the up-and-down swing of the latter isimparted thereto through a horizontal operating rock-shaft V94,journaled in suitable bearings in the fire-door frame and provided at anintermediate point with a bearing-collar 96, which permits thecarrier-rod 78 t0 rock or turn therein, while at the ,same time Inaddition t0' ,stoking-englne.

shaft 40 and the other end of which is con- 4 neet-ed to a crank-arm 98on one end of the rock-shaft. 94, thus providing a connectionwhichsynchronizes the movements of the operating-valve and ofthedeflector.

Another distinctive feature of the invention resldes in the necessaryemployment of a vfuel-supply mechanism comprising a coalhandling systemfor automatically receiving the fuel from the tender and delivering thesame to the fuel-chute of the stoking-engine. Y This fuel-supplymechanism includes in its general organization an inclinedconveyingtrough 100, extending from the tender T in rear of thelocomotive L and bridging the interval between the same and overlyingthe In order that this conveying-trough 100 may freely accommodateitself to the movements of the locomotive and tender andlalways maintaina proper feeding' position, the said chute has fitted to the rear endthereof a bearing lug or projection 101, loosely resting on'a stationaryfulcrum-post 102, mounted on the floor of the tender, and thecorresponding front end portion ofthe conveying-trough has fitted there--to a bearing plate or rib 103, which loosely rests on a roller-support104, mounted on the upper side of the fuel-chute 2 at one side of areceiving-opening 105, formed in the top side ofsaid chute and beneathwhich the stoking-head operates. 4The front end portion of theconveying-trough 100, which is thus loosely supported on top of thefuel-chute, has fitted thereto at the sides the pendentV guard-aprons106, which prevent scattering of the fuel and compel the same 4to fallinto and through the receiving-opening of the fuel-chute.

In order to properly shield the receiving end of the conveying-trough100 and at the same time insure the feeding of fuel into the same thereis huilt or fitted within the tenderbody upon the floor of its tank'araised inclined conveyer shield plate 107. shield-pl ate constitutes abottom for the fuelcompartment of the tender and is arranged to overlapthe lower regar end of the conveying-trough; Near its higher lend thesaid shield-plate is provided with a feed-opening This 1'08, throughwhich the fuel falls into the,

` trough, and in rear of the said opening 108 the shield-plate isfurther provided with a door-covered access-opening 109, through whichaccess maybe had, if necessary or desired, to the interior of thegear-case 110, ar-

ranged atthe lower end of the conveyingtrough and accommodating thereinthe spurgearing 1 11, employed for driving the` pair of helico'id rotaryally to prevent shaft connection 115, with a the gearing 11'1 116, which-in turn connects wit a drivingshaft section .117, having a telescopicconnection 118, with a driving-shaft section 119.

This latter shaft-section is provided with 'av ratchet-toothed section120,v engaged bythe spring-pressed dog 121 of a lswinging ratchetarm122, having an operating-link connection 123 with the lower endportionvof the reciprocating lpiston-rod '54 o the drivingi. engine 53.In connection with this construction it isL to be noted that thedrivingratchets for the vfuel-supply lmechanism and -for theoperating-valve are provided with a d.pipe IV and' thence to thelive-steam port 4 like number of teeth, so as to insure synchronousoperation and a constant lfuel-supply to thestoking-engine and from thelatter into the lire-box.

'Ihe kmechanical action of the different parts of the stoker apparatushaving been eX lained, the selective operation thereof wi l be readilyunderstood by,v referencefto the goup l'of Figs. -3 tov 7, inclusive. Inthe st place,assuming that the driving-engine 53 is operating and thesteam is turned onto y the controlling-valve through the supplypipe 69,the steam will fill'the interior steamchamber 65 of thecontrolling-valve easing.

and Iwill have free access to the steam-supply in the valve-base 25l ofthe operating-valve.

From thsport 4 the steam passes'. through the steam-circulatinochannel'38 (see Fig. 8)

g into the steam-chamber 46" between -the valve-disk 26 and thebalance-disk 36. In connection with this steam`circulation it will beobserved by reference nto Figs. 3 and 9 of the drawings that as alive-steam'port 47 of the operating valve-disk comes intoregistration'withtheport 35X. Y From this port the live steam passesinto and through-the 'assage 35, 21, and 22 into thefront end o theengine-cylinder, so as to retract the'pistonhead to the rearend of thecylinder ready to receive the impact 'of steam first from vhthe startingport 19 and tlienfrom the` main rear end port 20. Of course this actionof the valve 26 to bring a ort 47 into play is always 1nv advance lof te vo eration/of the' v valve to admit live steam to t ecylinder-pipe 23.Whenever the piston-headSX is thrust forward, lthe supplg of livesteanr' is cut off from the front'o t e conveyers 112, mountedwithengine-cylinder by the.

the exhaust bridging assages 52 thereof hausting-ca'vityf28 andthecylinder exhaustport 33, therebyestablishing a direct linef'throughihe' passage connection 29', Athe main :exhaust-port 30, andthe common `exhaustpipe 31. hUnder all 4conditions this feeding andexhausting of thefront end of the stok- 4 ing-engine cylinder is thesame, and, refervalve has been set to cut in all ofthe feedingports 1,2, and, thus feeding steam into all of the su ply-pipes III III;'Ihismeans that each o the three main positionsfof the will provide forone full feeding stroke of the eration in order, it may be assumedthat tTo. 1 selective bridgingpassage 48 comes into operative' position (seedotted line in Fig. 3) the same will. bridge the valve-supply 24 incommunication with the cylin er-pipe 23. This admits steamlbehind thepistonhead and thrusts the same, with the stokinvhead, forward to makeone stroke. this is occurring the frontend-*of thecylinder is exhaustingthrough the lineA of` exhaust already referred to. 'Ihen astheoperating- Kort 47 comes into play to return the istonead and at thesameI time the se ective exhaust-port 30 and establishesv a line of ex-`to its startingposition. v Next the bridging passage' 49 connectsthesupply-portjNo. with the branch port a (see Figs. 4 and 5) to providefor the second forward stroke of the engine,andthat is followed by thebridging of branch port b by the passagel49 with the main exhaust -port30 for exhausting the steam used in such' second stroke. if rIhe lastoperation of the cycleof movement for the operating-valve is A that ofthebridging assage'O, connecting'sup ly-por-t 3 with the ranch ort a,.and its su sequent bridging of brancli port c and the'main exhaust-port30. If it is desired to blank anyoneor more of these operations, it issimply necessary to vturn the controlling-valve to a4 position forblanking the' corresponding feeding-ports in the seatfthereof.

For'each of the constant' strokes of the stoking-engine the deiector,through itsconnection 'with the ope'ratinggg-valve, occupies onedefiecting position in its vertical swing, so that each of the portsjl,2, yand Srepresents` one of the' main feeding positions for :valvecontinues to rotate -another live-steam` ybridgingpassage 48' for theNo. 1 position.

connects the branch port a with the main haustffrom behind the pistonas. it returns.

positionnof the valve 26', and at the same time I such 'position of saidvalve will bring on@ of into registration with t e central main exofexhaust from the 'front of the cylinder,

vringnow particularly to the selective o eration,it maybe assumed thatthe contro ling'- 7 operating-valve will be an active one andstoking-engine. Taking upv the cycle of olpiston-head 3X is retractcdsothat when theV port- 1 and the branch portaof the.y assage to the sidesand corners of the fire-box as well as tothe front, middle, andbacktherei oof, as may be desired by the operator. In carrying out theinvention it Will of course be understood that the stoking-engine may beoperated not only with steam,

but also with any equivalent operating mer dium, Such as compressed air.

I claimv 1. In a Stoker, a stoking-engine, a device so constructed as tooperate the engine for 'feeding fuel to various parts of a fire-box, anda singledevice adapted to control the action of Said first device and toSelect the part to be fed. i'

2. In a Stoker, a stoking-engine, a devicel So constructed as to operatethe engine for feeding fuel to various parts of the fire-box, and amanually-operated device adaptedto control .the action of'said firstdevice and toselect the part to be fed.

3. In a Stoker, a stoking-engine', an oper- 3C ating-valve Soconstructed as to operate lthel engine for feeding fuel to various partsof a fire-box, and a single device adapted to control the action of saidvalve and to select the part to be fed.

4 In a stoker, a Stoking-engine, a device so constructedvas .to operatethe engine for feeding fuel to various parts of a fire-box, and acontrollingvalve adapted to control the action of said device and toSelect the 40 part to be fed.

5. In a Stoker, yastoking-engine, an operating-valve so constructed asto operate the engine for feeding fuel to various parts ofA a fire-box,and a controlling-valve adapted tol control the fiow. of the operatingmedium to the operating-valve and to select the part to be fed.

6. Ina Stoker, a stacking-engine, an operating-valve So constructed asto operate the engine for feeding fuel to various parts of a fire-box,yand a separate manually-operated controlling-valve adapted to controlthe flow of the operating medium -to the operating- 6 5 trol the flow ofthe operating medium to the operating-valve and to Select the part to befed, and a deflector operated from said operating-valve. l

9. In a Stoker, a Striking-engine having'an operating-valve, and adeflect or operated from 7o -said valve.

10. In a Stoker, a stoking-engine havingan operating-valve, avertically-swinging fand laterally-rocking defiector having an operativeconnection with Said valve for imparting 7 5 to the deflector itsvertically-swinging movement, and means for imparting to the `deflectorits lateral rocking motion.

11. In a Stoker, the combination vwith a furnace, 'of 'a-Stoking-eng-ine having a rotary 8o l operating-valve, a deflectorsupported within the fire-door. opening of the furnace and arranged toswing vertically on a horizontal axis, and to rock laterally on itslongitudinal axis, an operating connection between the valve and Saidhorizontal axis for the defiector, and an intermittently-operatingconnection' with 'the longitudinal axial supportv for the deflector.

12. In a Stoker, a Stoking-engineJ having a 9o rotary valve. and strokesof constant force, ratchet/driving mechanism for turning said.

valve, a deflector supported to swing vertically on a. horizontal axisand to rock laterally on `a longitudinal axis, a fixed operating 9 5'connection'between the valve-Shaft and the horizontal axis for thedeflector, and an intermittent ratchet-operating mechanism operativelyconnected with the longitudinal axial support for the deflector.

- In a Stoker, a fire-door frame arranged over the fire-door openingofthefurnace, a stoking-'engine discharging throu h said firedoor frame,a de'fiector supporter within the fire-door frame and arranged toSwingvertically on a horizontal axis and to-rock laterally on avlongitudinal axis, a synchronously-operating connection between theStoker and Said horizontal axis for the defiector, and an intermittentlyoperating 4mechanism coni 1c necfed with the longitudinal axial Supportfor the defiector.

14. In a Stoker,a Stoking-engine having a fuel-chute, a Stoking-headoperating in Said chute and carried by the piston-rod, a single 1 15rotary operating-valve comprising means for feeding and exhausting bothends ofthe engine-cylinder, a'nd a single controlling-valve comprisingmeans for cutting in and out differentfuel-feeding strokes of theStoker-head. x zo y15. In a Stoker, a stoking-engine having apiston-operated Stoking-head and an operating-valve provided with aplurality of supplyports arranged in a cycle of movement, and acontrolling-valve having feedingorts 1n '|25 complemental relation toSaid supp y-ports, and also having means-for selecting. or blanking anyof said ports. V

16. Ina Stoker, a Stoking-engine having a .v

IOO

lpiston-operatedstoking-head yand a' rotary 13o lurality o supply-portsarranged in a cyclil of single o erating-valve provided with a movementfor lseparately supplying steam for ditl'erent forward strokes of thepiston,

sfaid operating-valvealso being provided with means for feeding andexhausting the forward end of the lengine-cylinder, and acontrolling-valve having feeding-ports in complemental relation to saidsupply-ports, and also having meansv for selecting any of said ports.

17. In astoker, a stoking-engine having'a y'fuel-chute providedrwith asteam-exhausty discharge, a rpiston operated stoking head working insaid chute, and an operatin valve having Va common exhaust throng saidexhaust-discharge and provided with a plurality of suppl -ports forseparatel sup-` plying steam for icrent forward strokes of the piston,said operating-valve being also rovided with means for feeding andexhaustmg the forward end of the engine-cylinder, and acontrolling-valve having feeding-ports in complemental relation to. saidsupplyports, and also having means for selecting or lanking any of saidports.

18. In a stoker, astoking-engine having a ypiston-operated stoking-head,a rotary single operating-valve comprising means for feedin andexhausting bothl ends of the enginecy inder, a valve balance-chambercovering the operating-valve, a valve balance-,disk ar- 19. In a stoker,the combination with a locom otiv'e and tender, of a stokin -enginevhavlng a fuel-chute and a fuel-hand 'ng sys' tem comprising aconveyer-trough having a loose bearing-support over both the tender andthe locomotive and arranged to deliver l fuel into. said chute, a pairofscrew conveyor blankingV f vveyer-shield overhanging the receiving endI 'system extending om the tender t ers operating in said trough, adriving-en# gine, and a self-adjusting connection between thedriving-engine and the conveyers. h L 20. In a Stoker for locomotives,the combi-l nation with a tender, 'of a stoking-engine having afuel-chute, and a ,fuel-handling system comprising a conveyer-troughextendm Ifrom the tender to the locomotive-cab an feeding into said'chute, conveyer-screws op-v erating within .the trough, an elevatedycon'- of the'conveyer-.trough in the tender,"'a driving-engine, and atelescopic shaft-line operatively connected with the driving-engine andhaving a gimbal-joint connection with the rotatin means for the screws.

. 21. n a stoker, a stoking-engine having a 'rotary operating-valve, avertically-swinging 'and laterally-rocking deflector, an operatingconnection between thev operatingvalve'and the horizontal axis for thedeflector, a coal-handling system including a driveshaft connectiontherefor, adriving-engine, a

ratchet mechanism driven directly from said engine and operating saiddrive-shaft conneci tion,l a separate ratchet-operating connectionvbetween said drivingengine and the operating-valve, and another ratchetmechanism between the means for laterally rocking the deflector and saiddriving-engine.

' 22. In a Stoker for locomotives, the combination with the tender, ofav-stoking-engine having an operatin -valve, 'a coal-.ha dling thestoking-engine, a-ndincluding a drive-shaft connection, adriving-engine, a ratchet mechanism driven from the driving-engine andop- Y erating the drive-shaft connection, and a separateratchet-operatin yconnection between the driving-engine an theoperating-valve."

'In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.'

' Witnesses;` J. W. WILLsoN,

W. H. MOCURDY.

NORMAN n. GEEV. Y

